004 The Mayor's Problem
The background is white. ; Panel 1 Mayor Osgood, leaving the door to the antiques shop wide open, sidles alongside the wall to the right. He has his eyes closed and his finger to his lips still, and he is between the window and one of the long, low tables with antiques such as jugs and old glasses on them. He appears to be preparing to reach for something with his other hand. Snowflakes blow in through the open door, and beyond the door the wind and snow is so strong that only white can be seen. This panel, as well as the whole comic, is colored in muted, chilly browns and blues, but it has a slightly reddish tint to it compared to the previous comics, making many of the colors take on a dull purple tone. ; Panel 2. Zane, standing behind the counter on the other side of the room directly opposite the door, has both hands on the countertop and is leaning forward. His expression is perturbed. He says "Mayor Osgood, what's... What's wrong? What's the matter?" We see the left side of Osgood's head in silhouette, as though the reader is slightly behind him and to the left. Snow is still drifting in through the open door. ; Panel 3. Osgood has hunkered down underneath the long table covered with antiques. To get underneath it, he has had to kneel and bend over awkwardly. He's holding on to the table leg with one hand, and he's looking directly at Zane, his eyes open and one finger to his mouth still. The door is still open, and snow is blowing towards the table. ; Panel 4. Zane has a concerned look on his face as he looks back at the mayor, saying "... Mr. Osgood?" He reaches out slightly with one hand. The snow is still blowing around him. ; Panel 5. Zane approaches the table, a worried look on his face. Osgood is still hunkered down under the table, holding onto the table leg with one hand. He is looking down at his knees, and his face is entirely hidden by his hat and his hand, which appears to be touching his forehead. ; Panel 6. With obvious trepidation, Zane kneels in front of the table, holding onto the table leg for support. The reader sees the scene as though we're behind Osgood, so we see Zane's face framed by the table, and the back of Osgood's hat as he raises his head. Snow continues to blow behind Zane. ; Panel 7. Zane's mouth falls wide open in shock, and his eyes are blank and terrified. ; Panel 8. Osgood's head is tilted up towards Zane, snow blowing around him. His face has been caved in from his forehead to his chin, leaving nothing but a deep, deep hole that covers most of his face. The skin is wrinkled around the edges of the hole, and what we can see of the inside is very dark, as though the hole somehow extends beyond his head.